Metadata 2002: Update and Developments OLA Super Conference, February 1, 2002

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Metadata 2002Update and DevelopmentsOLA Super
Conference,February 1, 2002

• Lynne C. Howarth, FIS, University of Toronto
• Kathy Scardellato, Toronto Public Library
• Johanna Wellheiser, Toronto Public Library

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Session Overview

• Dublin Core Metadata Initiative - update
• Adaptations and applications of DCMI
• Dublin Core at Toronto Public Library
• Metadata for Internet sites for the VRL
• Metadata for TPL Digital Collections
• Historical Toronto Ontario materials
• Canadian theatre materials
• TPL lessons
• Key Lessons

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Dublin Core Update

• Dublin Core Metadata Elements (15 tags)
• Dublin Core Metadata Initiative (DCMI)
• DCMI Libraries Working Group
• Library Application Profile
• DCMI Registry Working Group
• Dublin Core projects (3 applications)
• Nordic Metadata Project CORC Business Entry
  Point (Australia)

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Dublin Core Metadata Element Set

• Title
• Creator
• Subject
• Description
• Publisher
• Contributor
• Date
• Type

• Format
• Identifier
• Source
• Language
• Relation
• Coverage
• Rights

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Dublin Core Projects (3)

• http//www.ifla.org/II/metadata.htmdc
• Scandinavia. The Nordic Metadata Project.
• URL http//www.helsinki.fi/meta/
• United States. CORC Project.
• URL http//www.oclc.org/corc/
• Australia. Business Entry Point.
• http//www.business.gov.au/BEP/HomeComponent/

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Dublin Core at Toronto Public Library

• Virtual Reference Library (VRL)
• TPL Digital Collections
• Canadian Theatre Materials

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VRL Internet Subject Guide

• Background
• Goals
• Opportunities
• Challenges
• Process
• Use of DC
• Results Benefits
• http//vrl.tpl.toronto.on.ca

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VRL Internet Site SelectionBackground

• Analysis Planning for Metadata
• Skills and experience of staff who will do
  indexing public service librarians
• Material to be described/indexed Internet sites
• Information available limited to what can be
  found on the Internet sites

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Goals

• Do it right, do it once
• Should be easy to understand
• Minimal training required
• Limited supervision required

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Opportunities

• Structured data descriptions of Internet sites
• Easy to learn (once jargon absorbed)
• Try something new
• Use WorldVue experience to enhance descriptions
  and indexes

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Challenges

• Deciding how many DC elements to use
• Adding more elements to enhance metadata for
  administrative purposes
• Creating practical guidelines for description
• Temporary nature of some metadata for Internet
  sites

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Process

• User Needs analysis for metadata
• search and retrieval
• Analysis of existing WorldVue data system
• Selected Dublin Core scheme
• Established D. C. elements to be used
• Created subject category taxonomy / scheme
  (modified LCSH)
• Established rules for data entry,keyword
  indexing, schemes for coverage language
• Modified a data entry template for the Nordic
  Dublin Core project - fields, schemes

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Dublin Core Metadata Element Set

• Title
• Creator
• Subject
• Description
• Publisher
• Contributor
• Date
• Type

• Format
• Identifier
• Source
• Language
• Relation
• Coverage
• Rights

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VRL - Dublin Core
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VRL - Dublin Core
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VRL - Dublin Core
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VRL - Dublin Core
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VRL - Dublin Core
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VRL - Dublin Core
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VRL - Dublin Core
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Results

• 16,000 datasets for Internet sites are described
• Searches by subject category, keyword (title,
  description, publisher), resource type, language,
  coverage (Made in Canada), and audience
• Descriptive statistics available on datasets (by
  language, Made in Canada, etc)

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Benefits

• Consistent descriptions
• Consistent indexing
• Easy to maintain / manage
• Better access to information about the sites

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Lessons Learned
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Lessons Learned

• Best results with X-departmental team (IT,
  Cataloguing, public service)
• Analysis time spent up front really pays off
  later
• Importance of documentation -have trained 100
  staff in past 4 years
• Implications of description for search /
  retrieval in your database system and web site
• Compatability - enhances ability to merge our
  data with other Internet portals

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TPL Digital Collections

• Background
• Goals
• Opportunities
• Challenges
• Process
• Use of DC
• Results Benefits
• http//digit.tpl.toronto.on.ca8000

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Background

• Digitization needs analysis 1996
• Digitization pilot project 1997
• Project work
• TPL Strategic Plan 2000-2003
• Other initiatives
• Canadian Initiative on Digital Libraries, Images
  Canada httpwww.imagescanada.ca

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Goals

• Make collections available online
• Provide cross-database searching
• Find the balance - quality and production
• Prepare metadata for the long term
• Get it right the first time
• Create foundation for future
• Start small...Think big

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Opportunities

• Make material known and accessible
• Enable searching by standardizing data
• Meet identified user needs - Find materials by
  neighbourhood name
• Collectively learn from the process

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Challenges

• Different types of materials with different user
  groups
• pictures (illustrated index), postcards, maps,
  atlases, directories, publications, souvenir view
  books, neighbourhood names, North York History
  database, Archindont databasecostume and set
  designs, photographs, programs, posters and
  production index
• Different types, levels and qualities of
  existing cataloguing

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Challenges Continued

• Different formats of existing records - online,
  paper
• No prior experience with Dublin Core
• Varied cataloguing experience
• Workflow issues
• Database software - not a relational system

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Process

• Gather samples of material and records
• Do analysis and develop template
• Test template with mapping samples
• Build online input template and test
• Input production test data
• Build database and test
• Move into production workflow

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Template Components

• Original source information
• Photographic surrogate information
• Digital surrogate - technical information
• Administrative information
• Image Text (OCR) as applicable
• Variations across formats
• More than some, less than others

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Pictures
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Pictures Continued
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Pictures Continued
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Pictures Continued
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Pictures Continued
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Pictures Continued
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Results

• 37 databases created
• Over 20,000 items described
• keyword searching
• advanced searching
• Full-text searching
• Participation in Images Canada
• Performance measures

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Benefits

• Provides customers with better access
• Improves management of collections
• Creates new customers
• Develops new skills
• Builds strategic alliances

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Lessons Learned
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Lessons Learned

• Analysis pays dividends later
• Cross-departmental team
• Labour-intensive process
• Impact of decisions
• Value of documentation and communication

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Lessons Learned

• Acknowledge steep learning curve
• Quality control and housekeeping
• Learning to use standards
• Working with vendors
• Impact on physical collection
• Implications of level and type of
  description...full-text indexing

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Lessons Learned

• /- of OCR
• Testing by uninitiated
• Impact on service, use of collections, workflow
  and staff
• Management/maintenance of site as it grows
• Plan for the unexpected

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Canadian Theatre Materials

• Value of previous experience with historical
  documents
• Analysis planning to uncover the differences
• Formats costume and stage designs, photos,
  posters, programs, production index

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Canadian Theatre Materials

• More date information openings, closings,
  held-over productions
• Unique fields
• types of productions (tours, revivals, premiers)
• other title (French, Italian, operas, etc)
• venue
• source
• accession number

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Canadian Theatre Record

• Cross-database searching for some fields
• play titles
• creators and roles (producers, playwrights,
  designers, performers)
• subjects

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Thank-you!

• Presentation available at
• http//www.fis.utoronto.ca/ special/metadata/ppt.h
  tm